Combination hair-trimmer and safety-razor.



J. H. COWAN.

COMBINATION HAIR TRIMNIERAND SAFETY' RAZOR. APPLICATION FILED NovsVIsIz.

l ,28,52% l Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

an srarzes retraites ernten.,-.l

30H23' H. CUWAN. 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

COMBINATION HAIR-TRIMMER AND SAFETYfBAZOR.

Application filed November 3, 1917, Serial o. 200,039.

To all/whom t 'may concern:

lie it lmown that JOHN H. COWAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county oi Jackson and State ot' Missouri, have invented a new and useful improvement in Combination Hair- Trimmers and Safety-Razors, of which the following is a speciicationjS This invention relates particularly to hair-trimmers of the type described in Patent No. l,22l-,4:H, granted May l, 1917, to 'William H. Burns. y

lhe primary object is to provide an improved hair-trimmer of the rtype referred toI` which is also adapted to be used as a safety-razor.

The invention is illustrated in its .pre- Jerred embodiment iii the accompanying drawing, in which-- Figure l represents a broken rear sideelevational view of a combination hair-trimmer and safety-razor embodying the invention; Fig. 2, an edge elevational view of the same; Fig. 3, a iront side elevational view ot the device; Fig. 4, a front side perspective View of the winged guard-plate employed; Fig. 5, a rear side elevational view of a comb-plate employed; Fig. 6, a plan view of the blade; Fig. 7, a sectional view showing the elements of the device separated, and illustrating the manner in which they go together; and Fig. 8, a view of an auxiliary handle which serves, in lieu of the thumb-screw shown in Fig. i' elements together, and which is used when the device is employed as a safety-razor.

In the Construction illustrated, A represents a main supporting plate which is provided at its upper portion with a forwardly inclined dished handle A', adapted to serve when the device is used as a hair-trimmer; B, a Winged g: .ard-plate' with which the plate A is ...."usiably connected; C, a combplate adapted to interlockingrly engage the guard-plate B; D, a blade interposed between the member C and the member A; E, a thumb-screw adapted to clamp the parte together; and E, an auxiliary handle, which serves also as ay clamping screw in lieu ot the thumb-screw E when the device is to be employed as a safety-razor. i

The plate A is of flat form and has its Yupper portion bent at an angle to aiord the handle A', which is dished as indicated at f3 l.. to enable the handle to be securely grasped between thethumb and fingers. The lower Specification of Letters Patent.

, to connect the rammen nee. si, isis.;

edge of the plate is deeply serrated to afford guard-teeth :2, which are preferably curved rearwardly at their lower end-poitions. The plate A is provided with'a con tr'al slot 3, which extends parallel with the lateral edges of the plate; and the plate' is further provided with slots 3 which 'flank the central slot 3.

The Winged guard-plate B comprises a.

clamping Wing el, which is parallel withy the plate A, and an outstanding inclined guard wing, or rest-member, l, which'is adapt-edv to bear against the scalp in the liairltriiii'" ming operation, it being. noted that the' pres sure of the instrument against the scalp 'will be borne by the Wing, or shoe, fl, andthe extremities of the guard-teeth with" ,which the plate A is provided. The member B.'

preferably formed by bending, a piecefot' sl-ieetenietal into approximately \irli rii i to provide the wings #lf and 4, the'apex, "orangle, il, of the bent member being disposed,V

when the device is asseinbled,.some distance above fthe points of the teeth 2. `The `cla-inping wing 4t is provided with forwardly'or outWardly-turned lateral flanges 4C, which are adapted to freely embrace the lateral edges of the inen'ibers C, ll and A. The' clamping wing is further provided with forwardly-extending lugs Il which lare adapted to extend freely through opening-s in lthe members C, D and A.. The upper or. 'free edge of the clamping wing tis provided intermediately with a 'forwardly or out- Wardlyturned flange lle. The lugs d may be formed by partially severingthe metal of the Wing 4 and bending the metaloiit-L `Ward, as clearly .indicated in Fig. .4. The" flanges le and te may he formed l'iyf'n'oviding suitable projections atv the edges ot the wing 4 and bending; them forwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 4. rlhc wiiig4 isv pro-v. vided centrally with a threaded perforation, aiording a threaded socket for the cl`aiii}'iiii, l screw. This may be provided, if desired. h v perforating the shcct-iiietal member Lland welding or soldering a nut l." to the reai'side of `the wing; or the Wall may be thickened Y in any desired manner to provide siiliicieiit stock for the thread.

The i oiiib-plate C is preferably formed ol metal. It is provided centrally with :i per; foret-ion 5;and iiaiilting the perforation 5 are rectangular porforai'ioiis 6. l The loivoiedge of the member C is provided with teeth 7; and the upper edge is provided near its edge with a central perforation 9; and at points flanking the perforation 9, the blade is provided with rectagular perforations l which are adapted to freely embrace the lugsl. l i

The clamping screw E is provided with a screw-portion 11, which is adapted to enter the threaded socket of the clamping wing 4;

. and the member E is further provided with a shoulder, or flange, .11, which is adapted to clampingly engage the front or outer surface f the late A.

The mem er E is provided with a screwportion 11b adapted tol-lt the threaded socket e forations 6 ofthe comblate C, t

Vperfora'tions 10 of the b ade D, and through of the clamping wing 4; and said member E is further provided with a shoulder 11c adapted to elampingly engage the front or outer surface of the plate A. The member E has the elongated shaft, or handle-portion, 12, as shown.

As a hair-trimmenthe parts are assembled as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3; the elementsfbeingl secured' together by the clamp ing screw In the assembled condition, the interlock lugs'lld extend through the perirough the the slots 3a of the main supporting' plate A.

When the device isused as a hair-trimmer, the main plate A is Iso adjusted with relation to the other elements of the device as to permit the teeth 2 to project a desired distance below the cutting edge of th blade, depending upon the closeness of trim desired. As

shown in Fig. l, the teeth 7 of the comb' l plate C do not project quite flush with the cut.

ting edge of the blade. T he plate A, as stated, is adjusted according to the closeness of the trim of the hair which is desired. If it be vmoved upwardly relative to the other elements of the device, the result will be to enable a closer trim of the hair to beisecured. As has been indicated, the slots 10 of the blade are purposely made somewhat large relative to the interlock lugs 4d. This permits the parts to go together freely and obviates the necessity of nicety of fitting of the parts; and' it also provides for a vcertain slight adjustment of the blade, which is desired. The interlock portions of the various elements have a sufficiently free t to enable them to go together readily, and, indeed, to

ermit a very slight adj ustment. In the case of the blade, the freedom of tit of the interlock parts enables the blade to be sharpened several times without causing it to become too small. Also, the blade is capable of a slight longitudinal adjustment, so that it can be causedvto project slightly at one edge or the other of the device, to enable 4a shaving effect to be attained in curves about the ears, Very much as the point of an ordinary razor is employed by a barber for the same purpose.

Ordinarily, the hairtrimmer is used by a combing operation, the blade serving to trim the hair with a certain degree of closeness,

.depending upon the adjustment of the plate A and the consequent distance which the teeth 2 project below the edge of the blade; It is sometimes desirable, however, to reverse the direction of operation of the instrument, or, in other words, to operate against the grain, or partially so, as in trimming the hair about the neck and ears. In this operation, the comb-plate C is particularly useful, as it provides an additional safety feature, especially when the plate A is so adjusted as to enable a close cropping of the .hair to be attained.

l In Fig. 2, the dotted line 13 ma be assumed to indicate the outline of t e head, illustrating how the instrument may bear against the head in the hair-trimming op eration.

When the device is to be used as a safetyrazor, the clamping screw E is removed,.and the handle E is substituted. For shaving purposes, the plate A is moved upwardly until the points of the teeth 2 are adjacent the cuttin edge of the blade. The device may then e used as an ordinary razor, and unless a very close shave is desired, the comb-plate C may be allowed to remain in use. This enabl's the device to be used with the utmost freedom, and with perfect safety. If desired, however, the combplate C may be removed from the instrument, enabling a closer shave to be secured. The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in View of the rior art.

What I regard as new, an' desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A device of the character set forth, comprising a main plate provided with guard-teeth and with a central vertical slot and ha ving a forwardly-inclined upward extension serving as a handle, a V-form guard disposed at the rear side of said plate and havin a clamping wing equipped with a threa ed socket, an interposed blade provided with a central opening, and a clam ing-member having a shoulder clampin y engaging said main plate, and having also a screw-portion extending through the slot in said plate and through said blade and screwed into said threaded socket.

2. A convertible device of the character set forth, comprising a main plate provided guard-teeth and with a central vertical slot and having a forwardly-inclined upward extension serving as a handle, a V-form guard disposed at the rear side of said plate and havincr a clamping Wing equippedwith a threaded, socket, an interposed blade provided with a. central opening, and a clamping-member comprising a forwardly-extending handle provided at its inner end with a shoulder clampingly engaging said plate and with a screw-portion extending through the slot in said plate and through said blade and screwed into said threaded socket.

3. A device of the character set forth, comprising a main plate equipped with a handle and provided with guard-teeth and having an intermediate slot, a V-form guard havinl a clamping win With a central threa ed socket, a comb-p ate adjacent said guard and having teeth projecting below the angular portion of the guard and having also a central perforation, a blade disposed between said comb-plate and said main plate and having a central perforation, and a clamping member having a threaded stud extending through the slot in said main plate and through the perforations in said blade and comb-plate and into said threaded socket, said clamping-member serving to clampingly secure said elements together.

4. A device of the character set forth, comprising a V-form guard-plate havin a clamping wing provided with a threaded socket and provided also with forwardlyprojecting interlock lugs, a comb-plate provided with a central perforation and with interlock perforations receiving said lugs, a blade and with interlock perforations receiving said lugs, a main plate equipped with a handle Vand provided with guard-teeth and provided also with a central slot corresponding with said-perforations and with interlock slots receiving said lugs, and a clamping member having a threaded stud extending through said central slot and perforations and engaging said socket, said clamping member having la shoulder clampingly engaging said main plate.

A device of the character set forth, comprising a V-form guard havin a clamping wing provided with a threade perforation and pr'ovided also with forwardly-pro j ecting interlock lugs, a blade provided with a registering central perforation and provided also with interlock perforations rewith f rovided with a central perforation ceiving said lugs, a main plate equipped with a forwardly-inclined handle and provided with guard-teeth and having a cent-ral slot registering with said perforations and interlock slots receiving said lugs, and a clamping member having a shoulder bearing against said main plate and having a threaded stud extending through said slot and the perforations in said blade and engaging said threaded socket.

6. A device of the character set forth, com prising a V-form guard having a clamping wing provided with a threaded central socket and at points anking said socket with forwardly projecting interlock lugs, said clamping wing having forwardly-projecting lateral fianges and a forwardly-projecting upper flange, a comb-plate having a central perforation and interlock perforations flanking said central perforation and receiving said lugs, said comb-plate having a rearwardly-turned flange embracing the upper edge of said clamping wing, a blade having a central perforation and interlock perforations flanking the same and receiving said lugs, a main plate provided with a forwardly-inclined handle and with guardteeth and having a central slot registering with said central perforations and having ianking slots receiving said lugs, and a clamping member having a shoulder clampingly engaging said main plate and a threaded Stud extending through the central slot of said main pl e and through said central perforation and engaging said threaded socket.

7. A device of the character set forth, comprising a V-form guard-plate having a clampinw wing provided with a central threadec socket and provided also With forwardly-projecting interlock lugs, a blade provided with a central perforation and with interlock perforations receiving said lugs, said interlock perforations being slightly larger than said lugs, a main plate provided at its upper portion with a handle and at its lower portion with guard-teeth, said main plate having a central slot registering with said central perforation and having flanking interlock slots receiving said lugs, and a clamping member having a threaded stud extending freely through said central slot and perforation and engaging said threaded socket, said clamping member having a shoulder clampingly engaging said main plate.

JOHN H. Cowan. 

